


The Girl with the Heart of Gold

by HPbooks4life



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Are they romantically involved?, Canon Compliant, Ezran gets a friend, F/M, I don't know, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, This story has a mind of its own, post-season 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23566150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPbooks4life/pseuds/HPbooks4life
Summary: Natasha Evans is a normal girl with a normal life - that is, until she befriends the boy king.OREzran gets a friend, because this poor boy needs some love.
Relationships: Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum (The Dragon Prince) & Original Female Character(s), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Ezran (The Dragon Prince) & Original Female Character(s), Rayla (The Dragon Prince) & Original Female Character(s), Soren (The Dragon Prince) & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 35
Kudos: 34





	1. Background - P. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So, it's been a bit. I originally wanted to write a oneshot of Ezran and a random friend just being goofs, but I started writing backstory, and... well. This happened. I am probably going to expand on this universe quite a lot, just because of how much I've already written, but there will definitely be at least two more chapters. I'm going to try to stick to some kind of updating schedule for this, but I apologize in advance if that doesn't work out. Anyone who read my previous multi-chapter fic knows what I'm talking about.
> 
> Also, I honestly don't know if these two are going to end up romantically involved. It's a distinct possibility, but with the way the characters have already seized control of this story, I'm not sure what will happen. 
> 
> So, without further ado, enjoy!

The first time I saw King Ezran, I was nine and he was ten. It was just after the Battle of the Storm Spire, as it was now called. My father, a relatively successful Katolian fisherman, had been away for about a year, catching fish from throughout the five kingdoms. I’d gone with him, to learn the ropes of a business that he hoped would one day be mine. He’d taught me about selling the fish, where each breed sold best, in which kingdoms you could charge more or less for certain things. It was a surprisingly intricate trade. As we travelled, we heard rumors of the death of King Harrow at the hands of a Moonshadow elf, which was sad but believable. We’d also heard rumors that the two princes, along with another of the elf assassins, had taken off together for unknown reasons, which was decidedly less so. However, when we’d returned, we’d discovered that the rumors were not only true, but that the princes had, in fact, returned the egg of the dragon prince to his mother, and ended a thousand year war in the process.

The first thing I noticed about the boy was that, despite his adventures and accomplishments, despite leading an army to battle, despite the fact that he was _king,_ Ezran really was just a ten-year-old boy. Unlike the late King Harrow, who’d always given off an aura of power and divinity, Ezran was… normal. He talked to the townspeople, taking a genuine interest in each individual. He treated them like equals, greeting people he’d already met by name, and asking those he hadn’t who they were and what they did. He listened to and addressed complaints, and when someone told him he was doing something right, he blushed and said he did his best. He was a genuine ten-year-old sweetheart.

That particular day, he was out with his brother, both their arms heavily laden with jelly tarts, which I’d heard were a personal favorite of the king. He’d come to the docks to talk to some fishermen who’d been having trouble with the nets lately, or something like that - at the time, I hadn’t cared much for politics. Still don’t, actually. I’d simply been fascinated by how the young king behaved - not at all royal or self-important. In fact, he treated the fishermen with respect, behaving as if he were simply a young boy among people who were older and wiser than him. After he’d spoken to the fishermen, he’d wandered around the docks, munching on jelly tarts and talking to the other people there. At one point, he wandered over to where our ship - the _Marauder_ \- had docked. Seeing me sitting there, swinging my feet against some barrels of cod as I waited for my father, his eyes lit up, and he walked over.

“Hello!” he said, grinning at me.

I immediately scrambled to my feet, surprised. Unsure of what to do, I simply smiled back, albeit a little nervously. “Oh, um, hello King Ezran.”

He waved me off. “Please don’t call me that. It makes me sound so…” He wrinkled his nose up. “Old.” Then he grinned again. “Call me Ezran.”

I laughed a little. Something about the boy put me at ease. He may not have exuded the power that his father had, but he still seemed… adult. In control. Oddly enough, that actually made me feel more comfortable. He didn’t seem the type to do anything rash.

“Ezran, then,” I said.

He grinned. “What’s your name?”

“Oh,” I said, surprised, “Um, I’m Natasha. But everyone calls me Tasha.”

Ezran smiled. “Nice to meet you, Tasha.”

Suddenly, the bag he had slung over his shoulder _moved._ I gulped, staring at it. “Um… K - Ezran… y-your bag…”

Before I could finish, the flap lifted up, and _something_ emerged from it. All I saw was a flash of pink tongue as it grabbed a jelly tart from the king’s arms, and then it retreated back into the bag. 

I shrieked, stumbling backward a little, and Ezran doubled over in laughter. “Oh gosh, I’m… I’m so sorry… that’s not…” He opened the flap again, reached in, and lifted out a very large, very grumpy glow toad.

“This is Bait!” he said cheerfully, holding him up.

I sighed in relief. I’d come across glow toads before, traveling with my father. They were a bit bad-tempered, and if provoked they would send out a flash of brilliant light that hurt for days, but as long as they were left alone they were generally harmless. 

Raising my hand, I waved at the toad. “Hello, Bait,” I said, smiling hesitantly.

The toad just made a grumbling sound and snatched another tart.

I laughed. “You remind me of Grumpy.” Seeing Ezran’s confused face, I explained, “I had a glow toad for a while. He hurt himself on a fisherman’s hook, so I nursed him back to health. He had a sweet tooth, too.”

Ezran’s whole face was lit up by the smile he gave me. “That’s wonderful!” he said.

I blushed and looked away. “I like animals,” I said.

The boy nodded in agreement. “Much better than humans.”

Grinning, I looked back at Ezran. He really wasn’t at all like I thought he’d be. He was much nicer. Much more… normal. In a good way.

Suddenly, another boy appeared behind him. “Ez, there you are! Come on, Rayla’s going to -” he broke off, seeing me. “Oh, hello!”

My blush returned full force. “Oh! Um. Prince Callum.” I did my best approximation of a curtsy, which, given that I was nine, was not very good. Ezran may have put me at ease, but he was still just a ten-year-old boy, really. Callum was a teenager, a Sky Mage, no less, the first human to ever be able to claim that honor. He had dived off of the Storm Spire and survived. He was strong, and brave, and… well, he was kind of my hero, but that didn’t mean I wanted to talk to him! He was so intimidating!

At that exact moment, he lost hold of his jelly tart mountain, sending the entire thing tumbling to the ground. He groaned.

“I’m sorry,” he said, bringing a hand to the back of his neck as he looked at me. “I’m a mess.”

I laughed a little, still unsure of myself, but after that display a little less intimidated. I bent down to help him pick them up, but he held his hands out.

“Oh no, please don’t, I made the mess,” he said, flustered. He drew a rune in the air with his finger. It glowed briefly, and then he said some words that made no sense to me. A slight wind picked up, gathering the tarts from the ground, dusting them off, and then sending them all into the satchel he was carrying.

My mouth dropped open. I’d heard of primal magic, of course. I knew, generally, how it worked. But seeing it in real life? I’d never in my wildest dreams imagined that it was even a possibility.

“That was… amazing,” I said breathlessly.

Ezran grinned. “You should see his mage wings. Now _that_ is awesome.”

Prince Callum blushed. “Uh, yeah. Some other time, maybe. C’mon, Ez, Rayla’s waiting.” He gave me a small smile. “Nice meeting you. Um, sorry about the mess.”

I smiled shyly. “It’s no problem,” I said.

Ezran turned to me, giving me a cheery wave. “See you!” he said, depositing a grumpy Bait back into his bag. 

Waving back, I watched Ezran hurry to catch up with his brother. 

My father appeared behind me. “Was that King Ezran?” he asked, amazed. 

I grinned up at him. “Yes! And his brother. They’re so nice!”

“That may be,” he said, voice grim, “But they’ve been fraternizing with elves. I don’t trust them.”

I frowned, turning back to watch the boys again. When they neared the entrance to the dockyard, a hooded figure in green and black emerged from the shadows. Callum slung an arm around their shoulders, and I caught a glimpse of white hair and pointed ears before they disappeared through the arch. The Moonshadow elf, probably. I’d never seen an elf in person, and had never wanted to, having been told tales of their evil and monstrous ways. But after meeting Ezran, I started to wonder if maybe they weren’t so bad afterall. I couldn’t imagine the kind, gentle boy I'd just met letting a bloodthirsty monster roam Katolis.


	2. Background - P. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Background pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the first three chapters were originally all one, but I split it up for easier reading. Enjoy!

I didn’t see Ezran again until over two years later. It was the winter holidays, and the night of the festival. It was particularly spectacular that year, with the familiar stalls from years past set up, as well as new ones, including a particularly large one for Barius the baker. I had been given twenty Katols to spend how I pleased, and was buying some sweets from Barius, when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

“But Calluuum, look at all the tarts! Can’t I just have one more? Pleeeeaaaaase?”

I turned to see Ezran, yanking on Prince Callum’s arm, trying to drag him over to the stall I was at. He wasn’t making much headway, as Callum was at least twice his size, but I could see his resolve weakening by the second as his little brother begged and pleaded.

Finally, he gave up. “Fine, Ez, but just _one!_ ” he said, the last part practically shouted, as Ezran had already let go and raced up to the stall.

“Hello, Barius! Two jelly tarts, please!” 

I raised an eyebrow, grinning. “Didn’t your brother just say you could only have one more?”

Ezran turned and saw me. He grinned. “One’s for Bait.” Then, his eyes widened in alarm. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there. Please, you go first!”

I laughed a little. He was just as sweet as I remembered. “It’s okay, I wasn’t sure what I wanted, anyway.”

His eyes sparkled. “I recommend the jelly tarts.”

Grinning, I turned to Barius. “Well, I’m not going to disobey the king. Two jelly tarts, please.”

Ezran laughed. Then, he squinted at me. “Have we met?”

I was shocked that he remembered, seeing as it was so long ago. I nodded. “Yes, once. It was a very long time ago, though. Just after the war.”

He nodded slowly. “Wait, I think I remember…” His eyes lit up. “Natasha! But everybody calls you Tasha.”

My jaw dropped. “How on earth did you remember that?” I asked. 

He shrugged. “Benefit of having to memorize ten faces a day or risk offending someone.”

I chuckled. “Fair enough.”

Barius appeared in front of us, holding four freshly baked jelly tarts. “Here you are,” he said cheerfully, handing each of us two. I started to take out my money, but Ezran shook his head. “I’ll pay! It’s the least I can do for cutting in front of you.”

I blushed. “You really don’t have to do that.”

He shrugged. “It’s my pleasure. Besides,” he said, grinning, “I thought you couldn’t disobey the king?”

I rolled my eyes, but relented. He really was way too nice. He paid, and then turned to me. “Where’s your family?” he asked.

“My dad is away right now. He’s a fisherman. He’s out fishing, or something.” I'd long ago stopped taking an interest in the family business, and had even less interest in the family.

Ezran frowned. “What about your mom?”

Hunching my shoulders a little, I looked at the ground. “She died.”

There was a beat of silence. “I’m sorry,” Ezran said softly.

I shrugged. “It was a long time ago. I live with my aunt when my dad’s away, but -” I wrinkled my nose. “She’s no fun.”

Ezran gave a light laugh. “Grownups can be like that.” Then, he brightened. “Hey, do you wanna hang out with us? I mean, Callum might try to stop us from going into a sugar coma, but Rayla will definitely sneak us stuff.”

I was, again, shocked by the boy’s kindness. I had literally just been asked to “hang out” with the king of Katolis. It wasn’t something that happened everyday. 

I was quiet for too long, and Ezran looked down. “I mean, you don’t have to,” he mumbled, shuffling his feet.

“No, no!” I said, feeling bad that he’d misunderstood. “That’s not it. I was just… surprised, is all.”

Ezran gave me a small smile. “No one should have to spend the holidays alone.”

I smiled back. “I’d love to hang out with you.” Then I winked. “And I know _exactly_ how to hide our sweet consumption from your brother.”

Ezran grinned full force, then grabbed my hand. “C’mon!” he said, starting to pull me along, “There’s so much to see!”

I laughed. “Didn’t you already see everything? Like, when you were planning?”

“Nope!” he exclaimed happily, “I basically picked a bunch of people who actually knew what they were doing, and let them figure it out. I am _terrible_ at this stuff.”

I couldn’t imagine Ezran being terrible at anything, really, but I just smiled.

He dragged me over to his brother, first. The second tart had disappeared into his satchel, probably into the glow toad’s waiting mouth. 

“Callum, this is Natasha!” he said, pulling me to stand next to him. “She’s gonna hang out with us!”

Callum grinned at me. “Hi, Natasha. Are you sure you know what you’re in for with Ez here? He can be a handful.”

I smiled back. I was two years older now, and not nearly as scared of the prince, but he was still kinda intimidating. Still. He was Ezran’s brother. How bad could he be?

“I can handle him,” I said, blushing and grinning at the same time. Callum just laughed.

Suddenly, another figure appeared behind Callum. It was a girl, with long white hair and purple markings on her face. She had horns that curled gracefully from the top of her head, and her footsteps were silent on the snow-covered ground. I wouldn’t have noticed her at all, but she put a finger to her lips, looking at Ezran. He barely contained a smile, but said nothing. She’d nearly made it to Callum when he sighed, crossing his arms. 

“I know you’re there, Rayla,” he said.

The girl - an elf, obviously - groaned and walked a few more steps to stand beside him. “You’re no fun anymore,” she grumbled, crossing her arms and scowling.

Callum grinned at her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Aww, you know you love me.”

Rayla rolled her eyes, but I could see a hint of a smile playing around her lips. 

Ezran wrinkled his nose. “Do you guys have to be so gross all the time?”

I laughed a little. I’d heard rumors of the prince’s elf friend being a little more than a friend, but I honestly didn’t get what the big deal was. She’d saved both boys’ lives multiple times, and Callum had dived off of the Storm Spire to save her. They obviously loved each other very much, especially since their relationship challenged the social norms of both their cultures, so what was the big deal?

Rayla noticed me seemingly for the first time. “Oh, hello!” she said, with the _exact_ same inflection Callum had used when he’d first said hello to me. I nearly doubled over in laughter, but managed to control myself. 

“Hello, Lady Rayla,” I said, smiling.

She waved her hand at me. “Please, just call me Rayla. All this lady nonsense makes me uncomfortable.”

I had a feeling that was the case with everyone in this family. I loved it.

“What’s your name?” she asked. 

“Natasha!” Ezran said again, grinning. “She’s hanging out with us!”

“Are you Ezran’s friend?” Rayla asked me, smiling.

Not sure what to say, I looked between her and Ezran. “Um…”

Ezran grinned at me. “Yep!” he said happily.

Something warm bloomed in my chest. A friend. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had one of those. Certainly not since before mom had died.

Rayla smiled even wider. “That’s nice.”

Yeah. Yeah, it was.

Ezran and I spent the next few hours running around, stealing sweets (which Ezran said he would of course pay for later), climbing trees, and just making general nuisances of ourselves. It was the most fun I’d had in a long, long time.

As predicted, Callum did, in fact, try to restrict our sugar intake. He was a bit awkward about it with me, since we didn’t really know each other, but since Ezran and I were generally eating the sweets we got together, he was kind of stopping me by extension. However, as Ezran had also predicted, Rayla continually snuck us treats behind his back, and this combined with the ones that we pilfered made for a proper holiday feast.

Toward the end of the evening, the festival hit its peak, and someone brought out some instruments and started a lively jig. Rayla pulled a reluctant Callum out into the center of the square, and they danced together. Rayla moved gracefully, twisting her hips and tapping her feet in time to the music, while Callum tripped and repeatedly apologized, ever the awkward gentleman. But they were both clearly having the time of their lives. They whirled around the square, gliding across the cobbles and laughing together. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen.

I smiled. “They really loved each other, don’t they?” I asked softly.

Ezran smiled, too. “Yeah,” he replied, “They really do.”

Then he turned to me and grinned. “Wanna dance?”

I laughed. “Um, I’m not really sure how.”

He grinned mischievously. “Me neither. Wanna figure it out?”

Smiling, I took his outstretched hand. “Sure, Ez.” Then I blushed, looking down. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

“For what?” he asked, and when I looked up I saw the confusion in his face.

“Can I call you that?” I asked, surprised. It seemed like something only his family did.

He grinned at me. “’Course you can! Everyone else does!” Then he frowned. “Well, at least I wish they would.”

I laughed. “Alright then, Ez. Teach me to dance.”

“The blind leading the blind. This should be fun.”

And with that, he pulled me out into the middle of the square, and we started to dance.

Or try to, anyway.

It was, of course, a disaster. We stepped on each other’s toes, tripping on the cobblestones and bumping into one another. But it was fun, and we laughed each time we made a mistake. Callum and Rayla grinned when they saw our fumbled attempts at dancing, and Rayla even gave us a few pointers. 

Eventually, we got the hang of it, and although it wasn’t by any means graceful, we managed one loop of the square. Then two, then three. By the time we stopped, we were both breathless and exhausted, but in the best possible way. Leaning on one another, we made our way to a bench on the outskirts of the courtyard. Callum and Rayla were still going strong, laughing as they moved and spun in time to the music. Ez and I watched for a while, grinning at their antics, clapping and cheering with the rest of the crowd. I felt happy. Properly happy, for the first time in what felt like forever.

Eventually, the festival came to a close. The music died down, and the people drifted off, back to their homes to spend time with their families. Callum and Rayla were among the last to leave the dancefloor, and although they were both absolutely exhausted, they were practically glowing. 

They walked over to us, hand in hand. I knew that according to my aunt, the sight should’ve disgusted me. It’d been years since the Battle, but some people were still clinging to their prejudices, my family unfortunately among them. But seeing the pair, leaning on each, laughing and happy, I couldn’t see what was so disgusting. They loved one another. Enough to brave the hostility both their cultures saw fit to treat them with. In that, I could only see beauty. I hoped that I loved someone that much one day.

When the pair reached us, Callum said, “C’mon guys. It’s late. It’s way past your bedtime, Ez, and Tasha, you should probably head home. Your aunt will be worried.”

I doubted it, but I didn’t say anything, only nodding. Ez turned to me, grinning. “I had fun tonight,” he said, and I smiled at him.

“I had fun too,” I replied. It was the understatement of the century, but the way I felt couldn’t possibly be put into words.

He hugged me, which was not what I was expecting, but after spending the night with him I wasn’t exactly surprised. With Ez, one should always expect the unexpected, especially when the unexpected was sweet. I hugged him back, and when he pulled away, he was grinning brightly.

“G’night, Tasha,” he said.

“’Night, Ez,” I replied, and after waving at Callum and Rayla, I headed home, flush with the warmth of my first friend.

After that, Ezran and I were practically inseparable. Since he was king, Ezran did, of course, have duties, but whenever he had a spare second (and often when he didn’t, but was just fed up with the palace), he’d seek me out. We did anything to keep boredom at bay - stole jelly tarts from the bakery, climbed trees, went swimming. He even showed me the elaborate system of secret passageways that ran throughout the castle, and we’d listen in on conversations or eat our pilfered jelly tarts in the damp stone hallways. I was his best (and only) friend, at least out of the people his age, and he was mine.

My aunt and father, whose feelings about elves extended to anyone who “fraternized” with them, strongly disapproved of the relationship. However, seeing as he was literally the king of Katolis, there wasn’t much they could do about it. I mean, Ez never would’ve done anything to them if they did stop us seeing each other, and would probably hate them even thinking that he would, but I wasn’t _about_ to tell them that. He was my best friend. I couldn’t imagine a world without him.


	3. Background - P. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Background pt. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will eventually be other perspectives, that's why all the chapters are titled "Natasha," but it'll be her perspective for at least one more. Enjoy!

The winter festival where we’d met the second time was three years ago. I could barely believe how quickly the time had flown. I was fourteen now, Ez nearing his fifteenth birthday. My father and aunt, who had by now realized that our friendship wasn’t going away, simply treated any mention of him with disdain. I didn’t really care. I hadn’t truly liked my biological family in years. Of course, I loved my father, and I suppose you could say that in a way I loved my aunt, but neither really understood me. The castle had become my true home. I spent every spare moment there, either spending time with Ezran, or hanging around waiting for him to get out of meetings or get through paperwork. The first time I did it, I felt really strange, but Ezran promised that he’d be no more than twenty minutes, there wasn’t much point in me leaving the castle when I’d just be coming right back. So, praying no one asked me what I was doing, I found a sitting room with enormous windows that looked out on the gardens. Settling myself on one of the cushioned window ledges, I waited.

Rayla found me after about ten minutes. Blushing and stuttering, I explained to her why I was just sitting there, and she laughed and said it was fine. I was, after all, practically family at this point. 

It was a shock, but of the best possible kind.

After that, I didn’t feel as awkward. I spent increasingly more time in the castle, curling up in the library with a book, sneaking down to the kitchens for a snack, or wandering the hallways. I even befriended a few of the guards, including a crown guard named Soren. He was utterly ridiculous, but he made me laugh. After we became friends, I didn’t feel strange at all about hanging around. I even asked if he would teach me to fight, which he did - although I later realized he went quite easy on me until I hit thirteen. Unlike both Ezran and Callum, I had a surprising affinity for swordplay, and after a year, I decided that I wanted to use two - dual-wielding, Soren called it - like Rayla did. And, not to brag, but I was  _ good. _ When I hit a certain level, Soren said that he’d taught me everything he could about dual-wielding, and Rayla took over my training. But Soren was always my first teacher, and we would often spar for old times’ sake.

On my thirteenth birthday, Soren gifted me with my very own pair of matched swords. They were beautiful, with leather-bound hilts that conformed to my fingers perfectly, and long, mirror-like steel blades, inlaid with swirling designs. When he gave them to me, I actually cried, hugging him tightly around the waist. He’d been a little embarrassed, patting me awkwardly on the back, but when I pulled away he smiled at me. 

“Can’t have the resident sword expert borrowing weapons all the time,” he said with a wink.

“Oi!” called Rayla, who was standing a few feet away. “I’m still her teacher, ya know.”

I laughed. “You’ll always be the best, Rayla.”

But now, nearly a year later, I was approaching her level. She was, of course, improving all the time - you were never done learning, she always said - but even she admitted that I was an exceptionally talented student. I flushed with pride when she said that.

I’d never shown my swords to my family. I kept them at the castle, in the armory, saying I didn’t want them stolen. It was the truth, but I also somehow didn’t think my family would react well to the palace giving me gifts. They’d react even more poorly if they found out who my instructor was. I’d never explained the situation with my father and aunt to anyone at the castle, and even Ezran only knew that we didn’t always get along. It was irrelevant, as I had long ago stopped caring what they thought, and I knew it would only hurt them. I was pretty sure Ez knew there was another reason for my refusal to take the weapons home, but he never pressed me, just as he never asked why we didn’t hang out at my place. He always knew when to leave things be, and I was eternally grateful for it.

On that same birthday, Ezran had given me a gold locket, with swirling designs on the surface that matched my swords. When I’d asked him about it, he said that Soren had shown them to him beforehand, and he’d thought it would be cool if the locket matched. Inside, there were tiny little page-like sheets of glass, created a sort of miniature photo album. There were pictures of him, Rayla, Callum, Soren, Bait (which I found both hilarious and adorable), and, to my shock, my aunt and father. 

“I know that you guys don’t always get along,” he’d said softly, looking at his hands. “But… they’re also still your family. And I know that you all love each other, in your own ways.”

I’d hugged him, too, and hadn’t let go for a very long time.

Now, sitting on the edge of my bed at my house, I fiddled with it, clicking it open and shut. I looked at the faces of each of my family members, both biological and chosen. He was right, of course, just like he always was. I may not have liked them very much, but they were still family.

Boy, was my life complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand that concludes background! Next up: some actual plot ;)


	4. Chpt. 1 - Family Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more background story :'D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh heh... so I lied. I went to write plot, and this happened. But after this, I swear, something in the present will actually happen. It's already half written so :)

“Natasha!”

I scowled. No one, repeat,  _ no one _ called me Natasha except for my uptight aunt. She insisted on calling me by my birth name, saying that it was far nobler than Tasha, and if my parents wanted me to be called that, they would’ve named me Tasha at birth.

I hated my aunt.

“Coming!” I replied, snapping the locket shut and slipping it under my shirt. Although I wore it at all times, my family had no idea it existed, for the same reasons I’d kept my swords hidden. If my aunt or father ever found out that the palace was giving me such expensive things, or that I carried pictures of the royal family around in the same place I carried pictures of them, I’m pretty sure the pair of them would have a coronary.

I stood from my twin bed, glancing around the room. My bedroom was relatively small, a little rectangle near the top of the house. I had a pile of old fishing nets in one corner - heaven only knows why, maybe my father was hoping they would inspire me to take an interest in fishing - and a small bedside table with a drawer where I kept my few belongings. At least, the ones I took home.

But my favorite part about the room was the large window set into the wall across from my bed, which looked out on the harbor and the mountains beyond. I loved to sit there, especially on nights where I’d fought with my family - so really, three or four times a week - and daydream about leaving this place. Running off and finding adventure in Xadia or the five kingdoms. It was a daydream I fully intended to live, just as soon as I turned seventeen. Then, neither my aunt nor my father could tell me what to do. I’d finally be free.

Realizing I’d zoned out, I tore my gaze from the window and turned around, walking over to the door at the foot of my bed. I stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me. My aunt could easily just open the door to snoop - I knew for a fact that she had done, too - but I wasn’t about to invite her in.

Moving down the hallway, surrounded on four sides by damp, splintering wood, I heard the sounds of my aunt moving around downstairs. Judging by the clatter of pots and pans, she was making breakfast. Not that I’d be sticking around to eat it. I descended the stairs, coming out into our little living room, with a horrible green sofa, an equally horrifying orange armchair, and a little wooden coffee table set in front of them both. I could see my aunt in the kitchen, which doubled as our dining area with its big wooden dining table, bustling about, stirring pots and mixing spices.

The thing about my aunt was that she loved to believe she was good at everything. Cooking, cleaning, socializing, etcetera. She had old fashioned ideas of what a lady should be, and if you ever called her out on not being good at something, she’d say something along the lines of “It builds character.”

Did I mention I  _ hated _ my aunt?

She caught sight of me at the bottom of the stairs, and scowled. “Well don’t just stand there, Natasha. Come and help me with breakfast. It’s high time you learned to cook, you aren’t a proper young lady until you do.”

I scowled right back. “Well, then, I guess I’ll just have to settle for being  _ myself _ . I’m going out.”

“Out? Again? For heaven’s sake, Natasha, you spend more time with the horrid king than you do your own family.”

“He  _ is _ my family,” I muttered under my breath.

“ _ What _ did you just say?” My aunt’s eyes smoldered.

I sighed. “Nothing.” I pulled the front door, which was situated conveniently at the foot of the stairs, open. “See you when I see you.” And before my aunt could utter another word, I snapped the door firmly shut behind me, somehow resisting the urge to slam it.

Pulling the hood of my jacket up - I hadn’t noticed, but it was raining - I started down the street at a brisk pace, headed toward the palace.

My aunt may have been a horrible person, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew exactly where I spent my days, as did my father to a certain degree. My aunt didn’t always tell him everything, saying she was “shielding” him from the shame. I wasn’t complaining. One less adult to yell at me.

They hadn’t always known. They’d known, of course, that I’d met the king, as the first time my father had actually been there, and the second, I’d told my aunt because I hadn’t been aware of the depths of her hatred. Believe it or not, at one time we were a happy family. 

It’d been a long time since that was the case, though.

After the second time, however, I wised up. My aunt had berated me, telling me to stay as far away from the boy king as possible. Since that wasn’t about to happen, eleven-year-old me came up with the perfect solution - Bobby.

Bobby was a girl from my class when I was about eight. She was nice enough, but we never really hit it off, and when she moved away, we lost touch. However, my aunt didn’t know that - even then, I hadn’t told my family much of what happened to me - and so Bobby became my alibi.

Everytime Ez and I hung out, which was pretty much everyday, I said I was hanging out with Bobby, who lived across town now and couldn’t come to the house because it was too far. I’d say we met in the middle, and hung out. It was, to my young mind, the perfect story - Bobby wasn’t around to say otherwise, and my aunt had always wanted me to get some friends. It was a win-win.

I should’ve known it wouldn’t last.

About a year after the solstice, when I’d become pretty comfortable with the Bobby excuse, the unthinkable happened - we  _ met her. _

Turned out, Bobby hadn’t moved as far as I’d thought. She did, in fact, live across town, but she and her father had come to the fishing district for supplies of some kind. My aunt, who’d met her once before and chose that exact moment to actually remember something about me, had pointed her out.

“Isn’t that you friend Bobby? The one you’re always with?”

Horrified, I’d tried to deflect. “N-no, I don’t think so. A lot of girls look like her, you know. And why would she be here?”

“No, no, I’m sure it’s her! Let’s go say hello.”

“A-aunt Esme, I really don’t think we should -”

She grabbed my arm. “Oh, psht, what’s gotten into you? You see her nearly everyday! Why don’t you want to say hello?”

Pinned under her eagle-eyed stare, I’d sighed. “Alright. Let’s go say hi.”  _ And get this over with. _

It was, as expected, a disaster. My aunt had gone up to them, all smiles and niceties, and asked the girl how she was doing, saying I talked about her all the time. Both Bobby and her father were, understandably, very confused, and my aunt quickly realized that they had no idea what she was talking about. Blushing furiously and making her excuses, she grabbed my arm with enough force to bruise and dragged me away, not stopping until we got home.

“What. Was.  _ That.” _ She hissed the words at me, so angry it looked like she was going to spit. I had never been more terrified in my entire life.

“Um - she - well - didn’t -” I knew I wasn’t making any sense, but I was at a loss. Never had I imagined that Bobby might actually  _ show up _ here. This wasn’t supposed to happen!

My aunt’s grip tightened. “Where have you been going, Natasha?” she’d asked, her eyes boring into my, teeth clenched nearly as tight as her hand on my arm. 

“I-I’m sorry - please - Aunt Esme, it hurts -”

She hadn’t cared. She never did. My words only made her tighten her grip further, twisting my arm. “Where. Have. You. Been. Going.”

“Th-the palace!” I’d gasped, nearly in tears. “The palace! Please, let me go, please -”

“The  _ palace?!” _ she shrieked, hands jerking upward and taking my arm with them. I shrieked, too, wrenching my arm from her grasp and running up the stairs, terrified. She’d followed, screeching “Get back here! Young lady, don’t you dare walk away from me! How  _ dare you!” _

I ran to my room, slamming the door behind me and barricading it with my bedside table. She pounded on the door. “Open this door at  _ once! _ How dare you fraternize with those people! How dare you! And you call yourself a Mason?  _ OPEN THIS DOOR!” _

That was the last of it I heard that night. I climbed out my window and ran for the palace, tears streaming down my face and arm throbbing. I knew, logically, that it would only anger my aunt more, but I didn’t care. I didn’t know where else to go.

I’d used one of the secret passageways, running through damp stone halls until I was too tired to run anymore. Then I’d collapsed, still sobbing, onto the floor, cradling my arm.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been there when a voice spoke from my left.

“Tasha?”

My head snapped up and I saw Ezran standing there, his brow creased with worry. His concern only grew when he saw my tear-streaked face, and he dropped to the floor beside me. “Are you okay?”

With those three words, I completely broke down. He reached out, wrapping his arms around me, and I leaned against his chest, sobbing into him. Carefully avoiding my injured arm, he stroked my hair and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay,” and held me until I stopped shaking.

Eventually, I sat up, wiping my eyes and nose. I hiccuped, and both Ez and I laughed a little. Then he gently took my arm and rolled up the sleeve, revealing five dark bruises, purplish blue in the torchlight.

His eyes widened. “What happened?”

I shook my head, taking my arm back. “N-nothing. It’s fine. I’m fine.”

He put a hand on my good arm. “Ash, you’re not fine. What happened?”

I smiled at the nickname. Only Ezran used it, a remnant of some inside joke we’d forgotten. It put me at ease.

I sighed. It was time I came clean, anyway. “You remember I told you we can’t go to my house because there aren’t ever any adults? And I can’t be there alone?”

He nodded.

“Well…” I sighed. “That’s not actually why.” I was quiet for a moment. Ezran squeezed my arm reassuringly, and I continued. “My family… well, my aunt’s the one who’s actually around, but my father, too… They don’t - they don’t like elves.” I wrinkled my nose. “At all. And they think that if you ‘fraternize’ with one, you’re just as bad.”

“And since Rayla’s an elf…”

I smiled sadly, nodding. Ezran said nothing, his eyes sad. Then he spoke. “So what happened?”

I huffed out a breath. “I was stupid.”

“You’re not -”

“Ez, this time, I really was.” I let my head fall back against the wall, taking a shaky breath. “I told my aunt that I was hanging out with this girl named Bobby. I knew her a long time ago, but I thought she moved. So every time I came here, I said I was with her.” I sighed. “Except today, we saw her. On the street. My aunt tried to talk to her, and she realized I’d lied. She got so angry -” My voice gave out, and there was silence for a few moments.

Finally, Ez spoke up. “I’m sorry, Ash.”

I turned and looked at him, confused. “Why?”

He huffed. “That I can’t help you. I’m  _ king, _ and I can’t -” He clenched his teeth. “I can’t do anything.”

“Ez -” I turned to face him, shaking my head. “You  _ can _ do something. You  _ have _ done something.”

He looked at me skeptically. “What?”

I laughed. “You’re my friend. I haven’t had a friend like you in - well,  _ ever.” _ I smiled. “You being here is all I need. Okay?”

Ez nodded, smiling a little. 

That was the only time we’d spoken of my family. Ez had understood, in that intuitive way of his, that I didn’t want to talk about it. So he’d never pressed me. I appreciated it.

My aunt had given up on trying to restrain me after a succession of escapes I made in the week after the incident, realizing that as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t stop me. So she simply scowled the days away, and our relationship continually deteriorated, until I spent nearly every waking moment at the palace. I’d even fallen asleep there a few times. Anything to get me away from the house.

Now, hurrying toward the secret entrance that Ez and I had taken to using - less fanfare and ridiculousness that way - I wondered exactly when it had gotten so bad that I barely said two words to her throughout the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: present day (I SWEAR :'D)


	5. Aanya's Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Literally the title lmao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI. SO. IT'S BEEN LIKE THREE MONTHS. GAH.
> 
> Sorry about that😂 I've been really busy (remote high school SUCKS), and I wrote a whole bunch, but then decided things were moving too fast and set everything back a few chapters, which have not been written. But here's something!!
> 
> Enjoy!

When I reached the entrance, to my surprise, Ez was waiting for me. He grinned. “Hey Ash.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Hey. I thought you had meetings.”

He shrugged. “I do.”

I rolled my eyes. “So why are you here, then?”

“Because,” he said, grinning, “Aanya wanted to wait for you.”

“Aanya’s here?!” My smile widened, and Ez laughed.

“Yep. Just got here.”

I punched him in the arm, and he yelped. “And you didn’t think to  _ tell me this yesterday?” _

Ez threw his hands in the air, laughing. “I didn’t know! It was a surprise visit.”

“Well then we’d better not keep Her Majesty waiting.” I grinned, and Ez rolled his eyes, letting me grab him by the arm and drag him into the passage.

I knew exactly where she’d be. There was a particular sitting room that we always hung out in, since it was relatively small, tucked away in a corner of the palace, and as a result we likely wouldn’t be bothered. It also had a convenient secret passage entrance.

Ez and I ran through the passages, laughing. We’d practically lived in the walls of the palace for the past three years, so we got to the sitting room in no time, pressing the brick in the wall and stepping onto the rotating plate. A section of the wall began to rotate, taking the plate with it, and we stepped off into the next room. It kept rotating until the small marble fireplace, which was on this side of the wall, was back in view. Then, with a quiet  _ clunk, _ it settled back in place.

I giggled. That never got old.

“Tasha!”

I turned to face the voice, and my face split into a wide grin. “Hey Aanya.”

The girl queen wore her usual split dress and leggings ensemble, her gold gorget sparkling in the morning light streaming in through the windows. Her hair, tied up in its messy ponytail and crowned with her golden hairpiece, gleamed as brightly as her jewelry, and her golden eyes sparkled with laughter. It struck me, just as it always did, how perfectly she matched the room around us, with its off white theme and gold accents. It was so noticeable, in fact, that one day when we were all still pretty young, we’d named the room Anya’s Sitting Room. The name had stuck, to the point that even the servants and guards called it that. We all found it rather hilarious.

Aanya walked forward and gave me a warm hug, which I enthusiastically returned. We’d been friends nearly as long as Ez and I, having met during one of her diplomatic trips to Katolis (which were really just an excuse to see Ezran). I’d literally run into her in the hallway, and not knowing who she was, simply apologized and kept going. Later, when Ezran formally introduced us, we’d had a good laugh over the incident. We’d been friends ever since.

“How have you been?” I asked her, looking her up and down. 

She grinned. “Exhausted. Meetings are so boring, it’s a wonder I haven’t put my head through a wall yet.”

Ezran scowled. “Yeah. The only reason I haven’t is my limitless supply of jelly tarts.”

“You’re obsessed,” I said, rolling my eyes.

He just grinned. “Being king  _ does _ have its privileges.”

“Well,” I said, grinning too, “You overworked royals sound like you could use some loosening up. Wanna go to the lake?”

Anya smiled, eyes sparkling. “I thought you’d never ask.”

0oOo0

The two royals did still have their meeting to attend, so we parted ways, planning to meet at the lake afterward. While I was waiting, I grabbed some picnic supplies - blanket, sandwiches, a healthy supply of jelly tarts - and went to set up our afternoon escape.

Ez and I had found the lake a few years ago, on one of our escapades through the woods. It was relatively big, but out of the way enough that as far as we could tell, no one else knew about it. As a result, a good portion of our time was spent there, hiding. It had  _ everything  _ \- grass, a strip of beach, forest (obviously), and even a waterfall that we took turns diving off of. We'd spent many afternoons here, swimming or picnicking or even just laying on our backs and watching the clouds.

I spread the blanket on the grass, laying out the food and drinks and then flopping on my back. The trees swayed gently above me, sunlight dappling through and warming me. I closed my eyes and let the gentle breeze wash over me, blowing my hair away from my face and seemingly taking my troubles with it. That morning was a distant memory, a snapshot of someone else's life. Here, out in the woods, with no one else around, I could relax. I could breathe.

I let go of my troubles and drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Jedi_Jed who motivated me to actually write this😂
> 
> Also sorry it's so short!! Again, trying to give y'all SOMETHING to read lol


	6. The Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y'all it's about to get real😂

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT'S THIS??? ME??? POSTING TWICE IN TWO DAYS??? BEING ACTUALLY mOTiVaTeD??? WHO EVEN AM I???
> 
> Lol so anyways this is a bit longer than last chapter, mostly because I decided to give up on moving the action back. Sometimes the characters want what they want, and you're helpless to do anything but give it to them😂😂
> 
> Enjoy!

My dreams were… strange.

I started out in my room at home, sitting in my window. I watched the ships come in and out of the harbour, little dots of people scurrying about as they unloaded and packed up cargo or readied the sails.

Suddenly, my aunt burst through the door. She was angry - her harsh features were twisted into an enraged scowl, her face red, her hands shaking.

_ "HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF A MASON! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE, ELF-LOVER! GET OUT!" _

She raised her hand to hit me, but just as she was about to make contact, my dream shifted.

Now I was standing in the castle courtyard, Soren in front of me, sword raised.

"C'mon, Tasha, sword up! We haven't got all day!" I looked down and realized I was holding my training sword, the one I'd used before Soren had given me mine. I raised it hesitantly, and Soren darted forward, aiming a jab at my ribs. I blocked easily, then stepped forward into his guard and smacked his wrist with the hilt of my sword, disarming him. Soren's sword clattered to the ground.

He grinned at me. "Excellent. Someone's been practicing."

My dream shifted again.

Now I was standing at the bow of my father's fishing boat. He was going on about the price of fish in Delbar. He turned to me and smiled. "Someday, Tanya, this will all be yours. You'll take over this business, and you'll make it better."

My heart throbbed. This wasn't a dream. It was a memory. The last time my father had brought me on a journey with him, before he'd given up on me.

He hadn't called me Tanya in years.

My dream changed again, and again, and I watched as my aunt discovered the Bobby deception, as Ez and I ran through the halls of the palace, as he hugged me in the passageway and asked if I was alright. I watched the first time I hung around the palace without Ez, my first lesson with Rayla, when Ez gave me my locket. I watched my life literally flash before my eyes, every second, good or bad.

And then it stopped.

I was standing in a room, but this time, I didn't recognize my surroundings. It looked like a ship's cabin, warm lamplight making the oak walls glow gently. It would've been a peaceful scene, if not for the woman screaming on the bed.

Her face was red and soaked with sweat, and she was screaming bloody murder. Another woman stood by her feet, head under the sheets, saying "Just a little more, Maureen! That's it! One more push!"

Maureen gave a howling cry, hands fisting into the sheets, and then she collapsed back into the pillows, panting heavily. There was a moment of silence, and then there was a strangled cry. The other woman emerged from the sheet, beaming. 

"You have a little girl, Maureen."

Maureen's eyes snapped open as the woman - a midwife, I realized - deposited a little shrieking bundle in her arms. Her mouth split into a radiant smile, and she let out a little sob, brushing her fingers along the baby's face. "Hello, little one," she whispered through her tears. "Hello, Natasha."

"Ash! Ash, wake up! ASH!"

My eyes snapped open, and I shrieked.

Ezran kneeled over me, hair wild and eyes wide. And beyond him… 

The lake. 

The lake had  _ expanded. _

The edge of the water, which had initially been a good ten feet away, now lapped lazily at my feet, rippling gently as though something had disturbed it.

I scrambled backward, breathing heavily, Ezran right next to me. Aanya stood behind us, mouth agape as she stared at the body of water.

_ "What happened?" _ Ezran asked, nearly screaming as he half crawled up the embankment next to me. 

"I don't know! I was just setting up the picnic, and then I guess I fell asleep, and…" I thought of my nightmares, but shook my head. That was hardly important right now. "And then you woke me up, and - and _ that!" _ I pointed at the lake, which was now soaking half the picnic blanket.

By this point we'd reached the top of the embankment, where Aanya still stood, staring at the lake. "What on earth happened here?" she asked, turning her gaze to me. I shook my head, shrugging helplessly. We all stood there for a moment, staring at the lake and catching our breath.

After a while, the lake started receding. It slowly fell back, like whatever invisible force had pulled it forward was now slowly releasing it. It settled into its original position, gentle ripples on the surface the only sign it'd even moved at all.

0oOo0

We didn't hang around after that. I rolled up the sopping wet blanket and grabbed the basket of food - which, thankfully, had been far up enough to escape the water - and we headed back up to the castle. The whole way there, Ez kept sending me sideways glances, like he thought I was going to explode or something. It was driving me mad. I didn't know what had happened at the lake, but I did know that it _ wasn't _ my fault. How could it be? How on earth could I have done something like that? I scowled to myself and walked faster.

The moment we got back to the palace, Aanya was pulled away by one of her advisors, leaving Ez and I to wander the castle until his next meeting. Normally I wouldn't mind having some extra alone time with him - normally I'd love it - but the sideways glances were really starting to irritate me. Finally, when we were in the library, I snapped.

"Oh my god,  _ what?" _

Ez blinked at me. "Huh?"

I scowled. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" But he wouldn't meet my eyes. 

I threw my hands in the air. "Like I'm going to explode or something! Listen, whatever happened,  _ I didn't do anything, _ okay? It was just some freak accident! It wasn't my fault, I don't know what happened, but it _ wasn't me!" _

"Ash - Ash - TASHA!" Ez grabbed me by the shoulders, and I stopped talking, surprised.

"I don't think it's your fault, okay?" His voice was gentle, and a little apologetic. "I promise."

I blinked slowly. We'd stood close together before - of course we had - but somehow this was different. Ez's face was  _ inches _ from mine, and I could feel his breath against my cheek. His hands were warm, his cheeks slightly flushed from yelling, his eyes somehow bluer than I remembered. I'd always thought his eyes were interesting. The rest of him was all warm, dark colors, but his eyes were a clear crystal blue the color of spring water. They stood out against his dark, coffee brown skin like precious stones. Yet they, too, were somehow still full of warmth. Everything about Ezran was warm. 

My heart started beating  _ way _ too fast, and to my horror I felt a blush blooming on my cheeks. What was _ wrong _ with me?

I cleared my throat. "Okay," I said softly.

He nodded, but made no move to step back. After a moment, I realized he was trying to figure out whether or not he should hug me. 

Smiling slightly, I closed the small distance between us and wrapped my arms around his torso, resting my cheek against his chest. I felt him relax, and he slid his arms around my shoulders, burying his face in my neck. 

_ This _ was familiar. This was right. Ez's heartbeat thumped next to my ear, a steady rhythm that calmed my own heart. He smelled like trees and woodsmoke, nothing like what you'd expect from a king. He'd always been a good hugger, but his growth spurt the past year had left him several inches taller than me which, while initially infuriating, I'd come to appreciate. His warmth enveloped me like a blanket, shutting out the rest of the world. I sighed, hugging him a little closer. This was the safest place on earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can ya'll tell I love Ezran with all of my Dragon Prince convert soul😂😂
> 
> Also!!! Started an Instagram!!! It's like four months old but this is the first time I've posted here since I started it😂😂 Come yell at me @demi_reine21! (It was a pjo fan account but I'm expanding to all memes I find funny, so get ready for some TDP content too😜)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments really make my day, and help to keep me motivated, so don't hesitate to drop a line! Hope you guys are home and safe :)


End file.
